Various devices may be used for providing shade to a vehicle parking area. One such device would be a canopy stretched over the parking area and supported by poles and ropes used for tie downs. Windy conditions may cause the canopy to collapse or the canopy material may rip during a wind storm. Also, the ropes and stakes that are used for securing the canopy to the ground are a danger for people around them. Under poor lighting conditions ropes and stakes cannot be easily seen and a person could run into them and be injured.
Another solution to providing shade would be to plant real trees. The problem with this solution is the long growing time needed for the tree to gain sufficient height and bulk to give a shady area. Also, in the Fall of the year the messy cleanup of the fallen leaves presents a problem for maintenance people. Leaves must be raked in order for the area to be neat and if leaves are left on the ground and it rains, the fallen leaves get slippery and present a potential hazard to pedestrian traffic. Also, if the parking area needs to be altered, the alteration must be planned around the trees, or the trees must be removed at a large expense.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved artificial shade tree for use in conjunction with vehicle parking areas.